1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to an anvil assembly incorporating a strip of buttress material for use with a surgical stapling instrument. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a buttress release mechanism for release of the buttress material from the surgical stapling instrument after stapling.
2. Background of Related Art
During various surgical procedures it is often necessary to join two sides of tissue. This is typically accomplished by approximating two edges of the tissues flush against one another and securing them by stapling, suturing, etc. In some instances, the staple or suture line connecting the tissues may tear or tend to pull through the tissues, particularly, where the tissues are diseased and relatively weak. Additionally, during healing, leakage may occur through the staple or suture lines.
In order to alleviate these problems, a strip of material, called “buttress material” is positioned against the tissues prior to stapling or suturing. The buttress material tends to reinforce the staple or suture line as well as tend to prevent leakage prior to healing.
The buttress material may be attached to the surgical instrument being used. For example, the buttress material is often pre-attached to a staple cartridge or anvil assembly of a surgical stapling instrument. The attachment of the buttress material needs be sufficiently secure to allow the surgical instrument to be inserted into the body of a patient as well as allowing the staple cartridge and anvil to be positioned about specific tissues to be stapled. Furthermore, after stapling of the tissues, the buttress material needs to be attached in a manner which allows easy separation of the buttress material from the associated staple cartridge and/or anvil.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a cartridge or anvil assembly which is capable of easily releasing the buttress material after tissues have been stapled.